Murdoch University has excellent student support programs to put your mind at ease as your child begins a new chapter in their learning. 

As you prepare your child for the first day of uni, understanding what’s on offer once they arrive goes a long way to making both you and your teen feel comfortable with the experience ahead of them. Murdoch offers support every step of the way to ensure they have a positive start that carries on throughout their studies. The Good Universities Guide 2024 gave Murdoch a 5-star rating for staff to student ratio, so you can be assured your child will have the support they need to thrive.

University has changed – for the better

You may be wondering how you can support your child, especially if you haven’t been through the university experience yourself or you didn’t go to an Australian uni. Even if you did attend university courses as a young person, chances are there’s a lot more support for your child than you would have experienced when you were a student. Being aware of all that’s available from the university is a great way to guide your child without making them feel like you’re trying to smother them with concern. 

What student support services are available?

Orientation Week is designed to support your child from the day they arrive on campus. They’ll attend advice sessions, meet lecturers, learn their way around, and connect with other students. In addition, all the admin tasks for new students will be sorted, including:

• getting their student card
• buying books
• becoming familiar with the library and library services.

During the first week, they’ll also be introduced to the Murdoch student portal which is designed to guide students through their first semester and is available throughout the time they study. It has all the information they need about:

• teaching, learning and support resources
• key dates in the university calendar
• student events and announcements
• ways to get involved in uni life.

Support for learning and study

Even the best students may find learning at the university level to be challenging. Murdoch has a number of programs to ensure they reach their full potential and get help if they need it.

Free workshops focus on skills like essay writing, editing, referencing, time management, and handling stress. These are super handy for those first few assignments, to give your child confidence they’re on the right track and meeting expectations.

Group study sessions are led by students who have taken the unit and done well in it. Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) is a free program designed to help students through the most challenging units.

1:1 help with dedicated advisors is available for everything from getting started at uni, to discipline-based questions and planning out assignments.

Career planning and development help is available to students and is managed by the Careers and Employment team.  

Support for the wellbeing of your child

There are plenty of other support services on campus and students should plan to take full advantage of everything that applies to them. Murdoch offers a medical centre, free counselling, and additional support for students living with a disability or health condition.

Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander students can receive academic, cultural and emotional support at the Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre for the whole time they’re at Murdoch.

International student support services are available to ensure students arriving from another country can succeed in their new environment.